Re: The Pages of Punch

Fascinating thread, by the way.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: Unarmed combat

The young woman is a soldier in the ATS (auxiliary territorial service) is demonstrating what she has been taught in unarmed combat. I suppose her ‘victim’ is her father. She looks strong enough to carry it off. Were the ATS really trained in unarmed combat? I think it is unlikely but the thought made an amusing cartoon.

Re: The Pages of Punch

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: She became a wren

It was usually young men who ran away to sea. Here the man’s wife had simply volunteered to join the WRENs (Women’s Royal Naval Service. The ‘joke’ lay in the fact that the husband is clearly a member of the upper middle class and she is not an officer. He has no problems with that. How democratic.

Re: The Pages of Punch

I wondered how you could have such an understanding of the cartoons Mr Magoo... then I saw on the age thread that you lived through it... makes sense.

Re: The Pages of Punch

Yes, I did Summer. It was an exciting time to be growing up. Thank you for your comment.

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1944: Planning for D Day

By 1944 all minds were concentrated on the forthcoming invasion of Europe. Here the ‘joke’ is the relevance of an astrology article in a daily newspaper.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: Interpreting the target

Another unlikely scenario!

I do remember seeing a large number of heavy bombers flying low on a late summer evening over London. Clearly the intention was that by the time the main force would reach the enemy coast there would be complete darkness.

During this stage of the war it was considered important for Britain to be doing its bit. Royal Air Force Bomber Command was the main way that this was demonstrated.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: Shortages

Shortages were very frequent by 1942. The shopkeeper would not have known where the next shortage was about to occur.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: Conforming to type?

This surely is a charming scene. This stylish young woman is about to take a snap with her box camera of her young man in his uniform. She senses that he (and his posture) does not live up to the general expectation of the tough British Tommy who is about to invade Europe. In fact, many never did conform to that image.

Re: The Pages of Punch

1942: Salvage drive

Emmett here is being quite whimsical! There is no elaborate machinery being exhibited here. We were all encouraged to collect all our salvage. At school I remember that we were expected to bring in any salvage that we could find. This official interest was to reduce the need for imported materials.

The participants here seem to be engaged in a frolic. No motor vehicles are involved. Petrol was very strictly rationed. You needed a special reason to get any at all. Doctors on call, for instance, qualified.